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Dallas Cowboys defensive end Taco Charlton (97) celebrates after recovering a fumble after he knocked the ball loose while sacking Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the first quarter of an NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News)(Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer)

If the third preseason game truly is a dress rehearsal and a preview of what's to come in the regular season, the Dallas Cowboys appear primed for a prosperous year.

Dallas dominated the Houston Texans en route to a 34-0 win at home Saturday night.

As is typically the case in blowout victories, there were numerous bright spots for the Cowboys.

The defensive line was particularly dominant, as it took full advantage of Houston's overmatched offensive line. The defense forced a couple of turnovers; Taco Charlton forced multiple fumbles to go along with CJ Goodwin and Donovan Wilson's impressive interceptions.

It wasn't smooth sailing for the Cowboys' first-team offense, but they were able to take advantage of a turnover and put a touchdown on the board -- a play where Prescott showed off his improvisational skills before finding Michael Gallup in the endzone for a touchdown.

On top of all that, Dallas' special teams looked better than it has at any other point this preseason, as Cedrick Wilson put together an impressive punt return on top of Joe Thomas' blocked punt that resulted in a touchdown. Moreover, Brett Maher had a perfect day, going 2-for-2 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points.

The 'dress rehearsal' aspect of the third preseason game is mostly a myth nowadays. Dak Prescott only played in two series against Houston. Still, this blowout victory gives the team some serious optimism entering the regular season.

Let's dive into the things we learned from Saturday's action:

Taco Charlton isn't getting cut, but traded?

Quietly, Taco Charlton has had one of the better preseasons on the Cowboys' defensive line, recording a quarterback hit in every preseason game thus far.

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Against Houston, Charlton's positive play continued, as he notched two sacks (a third was called off because of a defensive holding penalty), two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass deflection.

On his official sack, Charlton did an excellent job of manufacturing a path to the tight end's outside edge despite being outflanked. Once he got to the tight end's edge, Charlton utilized efficient footwork to turn a tight corner and flatten to the quarterback despite being held.

On his second sack, Charlton showed off improved awareness as he was able to retrace after being pushing beyond the apex of the QB's drop and take down a scrambling Joe Webb for a sack:

The sacks are all fine and dandy, but it was Charlton's motor and effort level that might've been most impressive. Charlton has shown a tendency to fade when he doesn't win early in a rep. Against Houston, however, Charlton's motor continually ran hot.

Charlton did briefly leave the game twice for apparent leg injuries, but neither looked to be particularly serious in nature.

Because of the age-old TJ Watt vs. Taco Charlton debate, and the Steelers pass rushers' stellar start to his career, fans have been quick to discard Charlton at the first sign of trouble. If Charlton loses a rep during one-on-ones during training camp -- something that happens to everyone -- the vitriol spewed in Charlton's direction is definitely to a higher degree than most, if not every other Cowboys player.

Nevertheless, Charlton looks much improved this offseason, and looks as if he could be a valuable member of Dallas' rotation in 2019.

Charlton's preseason play has likely removed any consideration of him being cut; however, it would be irresponsible to not mention that Charlton's value on the trade market will never be higher. Now, it's not like Charlton is going to net a Day 2 pick in return, but maybe his impressive performance could coax a fourth- or fifth-rounder instead of a sixth or seventh from a team in need of depth at defensive end.

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The Cowboys have tremendous depth at defensive end, and even though he's performed very well this preseason, trading Charlton could make it easier to sneak young talent, such as Joe Jackson, onto the 53-man roster.

Everyone hoping for Charlton to get cut when Dallas reduces its roster August 31, however, can keep dreaming. Charlton has played too well to get put on waivers.

Welcome to the 53-man roster, Kerry Hyder

It has been a slow build for Kerry Hyder this preseason and training camp.

Hyder is one of the hardest workers on the Cowboys roster -- he was often the first player on the practice field during camp in Oxnard, Calif. when he would work on his pass rush technique -- and the work has obviously been paying off.

Though he has affected the quarterback in every preseason game, Hyder's effectiveness has notably grown in each preseason contest, culminating in a near-dominant performance against the Texans.

Improved hand technique is evident. On this play, Hyder countered the right tackle's jump set with a swift leaping (also referred to as a 'Euro step') cross chop. Even though Hyder missed with the chop, he sequenced immediately into a strong rip to capture the edge and beat the tackle's hands.

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Moreover, pay attention to Hyder's footwork as he's turning the corner. He does an outstanding job of getting his inside foot pointed toward the pocket, which enables him to turn his hips and flatten to the quarterback throughout contact while maintaining momentum.

Hyder wasn't even close to finished, however. On his second sack, Hyder showed his ability to beat guards one-on-one as a pass rusher:

Hyder, who is aligned at left defensive end, is tasked with slanting inside to the B-gap as a way to open up the outside rush lanes for the blitzing linebacker Nate Hall (No. 43) and safety Kavon Frazier (No. 35).

With nose tackle Christian Covington occupying the center, the blitz puts Hyder one-on-one with the right guard. After slanting inside, Hyder did an outstanding job of quickly winning inside hand placement before immediately using a quick, but powerful club move on the guard's inside shoulder, knocking the guard off balance. Hyder gets vertical, pursuing and bringing down the quarterback.

The steady progression of Hyder's hand technique has been one of the more underrated storylines surrounding Cowboys camp. After entering camp as a player on the bubble, he's emphatically proven to be deserving of a spot on the Cowboys' 53-man roster. Hyder's timing and placement have been impressive, but his power and length may be even more notable in terms of his hand technique.

Moreover, Hyder's versatility to be an effective pass rusher from the three-technique position should allow him to carve out a real role in the Cowboys' defensive line rotation this season.

If there were any concerns about Hyder's roster chances before Houston, the Texas Tech product effectively silenced them Saturday night.

Welcome to the 53-man roster, Mr. Hyder.

Joe Thomas is the most valuable (non-QB) backup on the Cowboys' roster

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Because he backs-up three Pro Bowlers, Joe Thomas' skill set is often underrated by the casual fan. However, because of an injury to Sean Lee, Thomas has been given the opportunity to show his value throughout training camp and the preseason.

Thomas has made the most of his opportunities, as the defense has seen no drop off without Lee in the lineup throughout the preseason.

Against Houston, Thomas' butterfingers moment was the only thing stopping him from adding a pick-six to his big night:

Thomas does an excellent job of getting enough depth in his drop while reading the releases of the two nearest receivers. With the No. 2 WR (No. 11) releasing quickly outside, Thomas does well to get his eyes inside on the No. 3 WR, which is the tight end in this situation.

Because Thomas got excellent depth in his drop, it allowed him to drive downhill once the tight end bent his route outside. This put Thomas in perfect position to undercut the route, intercept the pass and potentially put another touchdown on the board (more on that later). However, Thomas let the pass slip through his hands, giving him a pass break-up instead.

Thomas has the ability to start for most NFL teams, as Dallas' embarrassment of riches on their defense is the only thing keeping him off the field. Even though the Cowboys would miss any of their starters if injured, Thomas is outstanding insurance to have. Don't expect Thomas to be a trade chip near the cutdown deadline, as he provides the Cowboys with too much value.

Not only is Thomas the primary backup to all three linebacker positions (when Jaylon Smith missed time during camp, it was Thomas who slide over the Mike LB position), but he's also one of the best special-teams contributors on the roster, as evidenced by the punt block that he recovered for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush continued to ease any concerns about the backup quarterback job, as he finished 15 of 25 for 173 yards.

It's time to take Jordan Chunn's chances to make the 53-man roster seriously. He continues to get runs with the first-team on multiple special teams units. He added a touchdown catch to go along with six carries for 23 yards against Houston.

Donovan Wilson continued his playmaking ways versus Houston, adding another interception to his resume as he did a good job ranging to the sideline for the pick. He's put a lot of pressure on Kavon Frazier for one of the reserve safety roles. With how well he's played recently, it's going to be hard to keep the Texas A&M product off the 53-man roster at this point.

Defensive tackle Christian Covington has quietly come on strong in recent weeks, as indicated by his sack against Houston. Covington could provide more pass-rush ability that Dallas is used to from the nose tackle spot.

If looking for a negative in Dallas' dominant win, the Cowboys committed 13 penalties for 110 yards, which is unacceptable if judged by regular-season standards.